Dangers to which airmen are subjected while flying through a fog have recently called forth in England a discussion as to whether it is possible to banish them, at any rate in the immediate vicinity of aerodromes. Any scheme must, of course, be at least as expensive as calming troubled waters by the expedient of a liberal use of oil, or producing rain by gunfire or something equally forceful. According to a meteorologist of international fame, Sir Napier Shaw, it may just be possible to drive away a fog, but it might mean the consumption on occasion of as much as 500 tons. of coal to create the necessary heat to lift it clear. At the same time he believes there are times when it might be done with the burning of not more than 12 tons. But even with the smaller figure the prospects of making it a business proposition cannot be said to be very hopeful, especially at the present price of fuel. Time may be money. in these days, but when it is the miners' time that is being calculate' ed upon, fogs seem -likely to be allowed to continue their pernicious existence undisturbed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.